The film, based on the personal memories of Scola, specifically focuses on the early years of Fellini’s career: his arrival in Rome, the beginnings as a cartoonist in the editorial staff of the satirical magazine Marc’Aurelio (where he met among others precisely Scola), up to his first landfall in the cinema as a screenwriter.Read More »
From Trevico in the province of Avellino, a young man arrives in Turin to work at Fiat. Once hired, he will face harsh experiences as an immigrant and a worker.Read More »
To the priest in a small Italian town, the Splendor cinema (now sold for redevelopment) is a ‘dark grotto of sin’; to owner Jordan (Mastroianni), it’s a shrine. But writer/director Scola is more concerned with the grey areas between such views: the patrons who desert cinema in droves when TV offers cheap, undemanding entertainment. Using flashback and clips, he conveys something of the medium’s superiority over the box, at the same time beautifully unravelling a tale of life-long devotion and hard graft from Jordan, his long-term lover/usherette (Vlady), and the projectionist (Troisi). Their temperamental relationships over two decades are conveyed with great affection by the accomplished cast; and the film is full of wonderful moments – such as the homage to Capra at the climax – which manage to be both magical and unsentimental.Read More »
The Family traces events in the life of Carlo, from his christening in 1906 to his 80th birthday party. The film principally explores his relationships with younger brother Guilio, his wife Beatrice and her sister Adriana, whom Carlo loved as a young man.Read More »
NYT – Janet Maslin
THE great historical pageant that is Ettore Scola’s ”La Nuit de Varennes” unfolds with supreme ease. It begins with a series of casual coincidences and weaves them brilliantly into a vision of one of the most important moments in French history, a vision not the least bit limited by the specifics of its place and time.
The time is the French Revolution, and the occasion is the flight of the royal family from Paris to the small town of Varennes, where they will be captured and sent back to their deaths. But the feeling is utterly modern, or perhaps it’s timeless. The key issues of the film are the issues of any era. And the humor and generosity with which Mr. Scola presents them are correspondingly enduring.Read More »
Marcello (Marcello Mastroianni) has worked hard all his life to achieve a certain standing and success as a lawyer in Rome. He is pleased to be able to offer the fruits of his success to his son Michele (Massimo Troisi), and is perplexed and distressed that his unambitious son has no interest in any of these things. Michele is serving a term in the Italian military in the port town of Civitavecchia, and Marcello is visiting him there. Here he meets Michele’s salty girlfriend Loredana (Anne Parillaud). The father and son share some meals and explore their differences.Read More »
20 years after the monumental “I mostri” which was a great example of Italian sketch comedy, 3 of the greatest Italian directors ever (Risi, Monicelli, Scola), the best Italian writers ever (Age, Scarpelli), the best Italian actors ever (Tognazzi, Gassmann, Sordi) and one of the most beautiful woman in the world (Ornella Muti) participate to this great tribute. The last sketch (a funeral) is symbolic : the death of the Italian comedy, which made Italy the second country in the world for cinematographic productions during 50’s and 60’s.Read More »
A unique look at the history of 20th century France as illustrated in popular culture, Le Bal is set in a Parisian dance hall and features no narrative, no dialogue, and no continuous characters. The film moves from one dance number to the next, as the music reflects the political and cultural tenor of the times, from the Popular Front of 1936 to the German Occupation of World War II, on to the breezy openness of the post-war era and the open rebellion and turmoil of May 1968, and finally closing in the early 1980s. A troupe of dancers portrays all the film’s characters, with make-up and costume changes (as well as appropriate period music) indicating the different time periods. Directed by Ettore Scola, Le Bal was based on a stage production that was a great success in Europe.
— Mark DemingRead More »
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The camera follows citizens of Rome in mockumentary style.
Wikipedia wrote:
This film is recognized as of national cultural interest by the General Directorate for Cinema of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, on the basis of the ministerial resolution of 4 February 2003.Read More »